Ghost Hunters 2.1: "27 Jul 2005"

Case Study: Myrtle’s Plantation


I divurge somewhat from my usual reviewing slate here, because this is one of those few reality series that I actually think has a compelling subject matter. I could really care less about people redecorating at this point, makeovers that emphasize conformity, dating shows that emphasize conformity, etc. And since I don’t really care much about cars, all those shows can take a hike, too. (Yes, I watch “Survivor” and “American Idol”, but I don’t pretend that they have any lasting effect on my consciousness.)

“Ghost Hunters”, on the other hand, offers a potent double punch: compelling individuals with a rather unique perspective on the world, and possibly the most scientific approach to paranormal investigation I’ve seen. And there’s part of why I love this: I’ve actually participated in this kind of thing before, and Jason and Grant are correct when they say that most groups try to prove the existence of the paranormal. These guys try to debunk hauntings. The difference is that what some might say is evidence is, to them, not enough to meet their expectation.

Of course, the best part is delving into the crazy little world that they’ve created for themselves. There’s a whole subculture out there that considers TAPS to be highly reputable. I look at how they describe and rationalize their own experiences, past and present, and consider it an interesting take on how people respond to questions that they cannot answer. Every so often, they stray from evidence into sincere discussion about demonology. One could easily decide that these people are crazy…and yet, who doesn’t try to reconcile something that science and religion cannot fully explain?

The best part of the series, of course, is the investigation aspect. I love seeing the process that they go through, both the “science” and the subjective comments, and I love the fact that they show anything that they “find” and then break it down for the audience. A lot of what they find, they dismiss and explain away, even when it’s fairly compelling evidence to the audience. This episode was no exception.

I’ve actually been to the Myrtle’s Plantation, back in my Anne Rice fandom days in the mid 1990s. A lot of those “hot spots”? I’ve actually been there! I remember hearing a lot of the same stories, so I was very interested in seeing what they would find. I’ll admit, though, that I was slightly disappointed in how little they documented, especially when people started flipping out. And way too much time was spent on Brian and his possible firing. (This just goes to show how hard it is to get rid of a bad employee.)

OK, so on to the “evidence”!

I find it very interesting that neither Jason nor Grant remembered that little story about the 17th step, because that’s exactly the spot at which that heat signature showed up on the thermal camera. It was too much of a coincidence, in my book, and given their eventual conclusions, it would have been a great combination of anecdotal evidence and a recorded anomaly.

The other thermal image wasn’t linked to anything, but it was a lot more bizarre. Because they had to spend so much time at the beginning of the episode rehashing the mission statement and concept behind the series, they didn’t get into the operation of the camera. That kind of anomaly is hard to reconcile, especially since the recorded image was of something very close to the camera. If something “normal” had been there, Jason and Grant would have seen it.

I found it odd that the most compelling evidence was considered to be the lamp. Sure, they tested how the lamp would have to be moved to reproduce the effect, and it wasn’t easy to pull off, but it wasn’t like the chair that moved by itself in the first season! It was just odd how they missed the obvious connection earlier, and then focused on something far more questionable.

Also odd is the dismissal of that shadow that appears out of nowhere at the front door, when everyone on the team is otherwise accounted for. Could it have been someone outside? Sure…but looking at that footage, I’m not at all convinced that the figure wasn’t inside that door. And that would have been a lot harder to explain.

So what do they conclude? As one would expect, they believe Myrtle’s Plantation is haunted. My problem with that? The evidence wasn’t as strong as it could have been, and it might give new viewers a false impression of how high Jason and Grant set the bar. Thankfully, it looks like the next episode will feature both a debunked case and a more active site.

Chill Factor: 7/10